Global Challenges (April 2022)

The study on Global Challenges was conducted by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen Telefonfeld GmbH on behalf of the Press and Information Office of the German Federal Government. During the survey period from March 28 to April 04, 2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 16 and older was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI) on the following topics: Germany in the world, The EU and Germany as actors in foreign and security policy, International organizations, and Russia´s attack on Ukraine. In the West, 1,051 citizens were interviewed, in the East 470 citizens. The aggregation of these 1,521 respondents, after equalization of the over-quota East, leads arithmetically to 1,289 interviews: 1,051 from the West and 238 from the East. Respondents were selected by a multistage random sample from an ADM selection frame including landline and mobile phone numbers (dual-frame sample).<br>1. Germany in the world: currently most important problem worldwide; assessment of current political and economic situation (living in particularly uncertain times); expectations regarding Germany´s future; estimated influence of Germany in the world; Germany´s influence in the world has tended to increase vs. tend to decrease in the last ten years; too strong vs. weak appearance of Germany in asserting its interests against other states; determining power in the world in the future (Europe, China, Russia or the U.S.); assessment of Germany´s relations with G7 states as well as with Russia and China; attitude towards globalization; economic dependence of Germany on other states (China, Russia, U.S.); knowledge of the German G-7 presidency; goals for which Germany should particularly advocate in the context of the G-7 presidency; importance of the G-7 summit in Germany.

2. The EU and Germany as actors in foreign and security policy: danger of an increase in violent conflicts; greater German involvement in international conflict resolution than in the past; greater German military involvement in international conflict resolution than in the past; the U.S. a reliable security partner for Germany; importance of the EU´s united stance in foreign policy; rather united stance of the EU in foreign policy issues; Federal Armed Forces well positioned in various areas (defense of Germany in the event of a military conflict, participation in foreign missions e.g. in crisis regions, assistance in the event of disasters in Germany, and equipping the Federal Armed Forces); attitude towards reintroducing compulsory military service; opinion on general compulsory service; assessment of an increase in annual spending on the Federal Armed Forces and defense in response to the Ukraine war; attitude towards German arms exports in general (to all countries and regions without restriction, to crisis regions only if German interests are affected there, to crisis regions not at all, only to Germany´s allies, or generally no arms exports from Germany); assessment of the mutual assistance obligation within NATO; Germany should defend NATO countries such as Poland or the Baltic states militarily together with other NATO countries.

3. International organizations: ever heard of NATO, UN, G7 and OSCE; know what international organizations are about; NATO will still be needed in the future.

4. War between Russia and Ukraine: assessment of the potential danger of Russian policy for the security of the EU; assessment of German arms deliveries to Ukraine; limitation of the war to the territory of Ukraine or expansion to other countries.

Demography: sex; age; education: highest school-leaving qualification or intended school-leaving qualification; completed studies; occupation; job security; occupational status; employee/civil servant grouping; household size; number of persons in household aged 16 and over; German citizenship; religious denomination; frequency of church attendance; party preference.

Additionally coded were: Respondent ID; federal state; Berlin West/East district; city size; sample frame (reached via mobile or landline).